Thursday, July 30, 2015

T-15 (July 30)

T-15 (July 30)

The Matrix says today is Marine Corps Mission and Organization day.  Sounds like a classroom setting to me.  I'm sure they're still drilling and probably getting ready for the SDI Inspection that happens tomorrow.  Initial Drill is on Saturday.  Boots and rifles likely are getting polished, and a woman from one of the support groups says the recruits are getting haircut #3 today.  Yep...they get buzzed every couple of weeks.

We received a letter from Jeremiah today.  He writes on Sundays since that day gives him the most time, and even that isn't much.  In the letter he says there will be a video out with his platoon on it.  He's ordered a copy already that will be ready when he graduates.  Actually, he says he's ordered "a boatload of photograph items."  Hopefully he hasn't blown his whole paycheck!

Jeremiah says that he has lots of mental pressure from the DIs and himself since he wants to do well.  He's says he's praying so that he and his platoon do well and trying to ease that pressure.  His confidence is "growing short" but quitting is not an option.  Jeremiah still wants to be a Marine.  In fact, he writes, "I will continue even if I do sometimes think I can't go on..."

His sense of humor is still appears intact in his letter.  He talks about being changed, but I suspect it's that he's matured more than anything.  He'll be stronger and louder (they do lots of shouting down there), but I suspect his personality will be the same.  We can't go through life without change, but from what I see in the letters I've received, all Jeremiah's changes thus far are positive ones.  He's learning that he CAN do hard things.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

T-14 (July 29)

T-14 (July 29)



24 days into training.  65 days until graduation.

Today the matrix shows the recruits doing "Combat Conditioning Exercise."  According to a group I'm following, they will also be working on MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program).  MCMAP was talked about in the article I posted yesterday where they interviewed people from Charlie Company.

According to a father that received a letter from his recruit, Platoon 1054 is doing well and looking forward to blousing their uniforms above their boots and undoing the top button on their uniform.  Supposedly the recruits are getting plenty of apples, which should thrill Jeremiah.  He LOVES apples...and there is no sarcasm there.  He really does like apples.  :-)

Found a video that shows the drills that Jeremiah does virtually daily.  This Saturday should be a "competition" of sorts between the platoon to see which does the drill the best.  I think they'll do this repeatedly to earn an award at graduation.

Marine Corps Recruit Training Drill

Next week is Swim Week and the end of Phase 1 of training.  August 8th they should be moving over to WFTBN (Weapons and Field Training Battalion) Camp Pendleton for three weeks.


Tuesday, July 28, 2015

MCMAP foundation starts early in recruit training Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego News Article Display

This is an article put out on the MCRDSD website using Jeremiah's company - Charlie Company.  I don't see him in any of the pictures, but it's neat that his company has recruits interviewed for the article.

MCMAP foundation starts early in recruit training Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego News Article Display

T-13 (July 28)

T-13 (July 28)

"Log Drills" are on the Matrix today.  Hope asked me what they were and I hadn't a clue.  So I finally looked it up on the MCRDSD website and found an article that says a team of recruits carry a log approximately 250 pounds.  That will definitely teach recruits how to work as a team.  That's a heavy log!

Marine Corps History from 1941-1945 will be studied this week too.  World War II.  Jeremiah's dad's favorite war to study and read about.  They'll be learning about Saipan, Tarawa, Peleiu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and other battles that are significant in Marine Corps history.

I learned more about the Confidence Courses too.  Not sure if they did those today since they were on yesterday's matrix, but it appears that there are two different Confidence courses.

Confidence Course I tests the recruits' strength and balance including low obstacles like an arm stretcher, parallel bars, over and under.  Confidence Course II tests their determination and includes high obstacles like the skyscraper, A-frame, and Slide for Life.

Recruits have been writing home saying they do lots of drill and PT.  Sounds like they are tired, but getting stronger.

Many recruits are requesting protein bars, and many have been sent.  A mom that has gone through this before asked her son how these protein bars get distributed and was told that the DIs issue them as a reward.  Sometimes they only get 2-3 per week and footlockers with hundreds of protein bars are left at the end of boot camp.  I hope Jeremiah was able to eat some of what I sent him.  I've sent over a dozen to him already but now hesitate to send any more.  I probably will though.  He still has about 65 days left until graduation.



Log drills build unit cohesion, leadership Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego News Article Display

Log drills build unit cohesion, leadership Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego News Article Display

T-12 (July 27)

T-12 (July 27)

All I could find out about today was that the Confidence Course I was on the Matrix.  I believe I posted in an earlier entry that it has 11 obstacles that get progressively harder, but is designed to give the recruits confidence once they are through it.

I have found a video about the training in week three.  All I can say is Jeremiah will never have trouble getting out of bed now!  You should watch this.  WOW!

Recruit Training - Week 3

A letter came to the house today.  It was from an Elder Bruce Carlson, General, USAF (retired).  He's now a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventies in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He wrote to let Joe and me know that Jeremiah has been attending church services down at MCRD San Diego.  The chaplain down there feels that Jeremiah brings a good spirit to the meetings.  They reassured us that they will help him grow in his faith and testimony of the church.

Jeremiah being a Marine is important to Joe and me, and to Jeremiah.  However, as parents, Joe and I definitely feel that Jeremiah's spiritual growth is just as important.  We want him to have a strong testimony of his Heavenly Father and the mission that He has in store for Jeremiah.  When I went with Jeremiah to the recruiter's office a year ago, I knew that this was a calling from God for Jeremiah.  He's fulfilling it, and that pleases Joe and me.  And while I know that this process is hard, I'm grateful that Jeremiah is remembering promises he made to Heavenly Father over the past 18 years and is honoring those covenants that he has made.

Semper Fidelis means "always faithful" or "always loyal."  Before he left, I asked Jeremiah what he was supposed to be faithful to.  In the discussion that ensued, I told him to first be faithful to God, then to his family, country and corps.  God should always come first, and I believe that Jeremiah is remembering that.

Many of the recruits are writing home that they are becoming closer to God.  I pray that Jeremiah feels the same way.  I do know, through reading his letters, that the importance of family has really struck home with him.  The fact that he quoted scripture in his latest letter shows that he's searching the scriptures for answers, and every answer he will need to survive boot camp is in there.  We're so pleased with Jeremiah.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

S-2 (July 26)

S-2 (July 26)

The second week of training is done.  According to a friend of ours that is a Marine, Jeremiah has one more week of Hell, then it's all endurance.  I hope he's right!

Next week Jeremiah should be doing the Confidence Course, SDI Inspection, and Initial Drill.

The Confidence Course has eleven obstacles designed to be progressively difficult.  It's supposed to be a good morale builder since many recruits can negotiate the obstacles with ease after a little practice.

The SDI Inspection is when the Senior Drill Instructor (SDI) inspects the recruits' uniforms and rifles and tests them on Marine Corps knowledge they have been studying.

Initial Drill tests each platoon's ability to listen to the drill instructors' orders at this point in time.  Obviously they'll get better the longer they are in training.  It shows their current degree of discipline.

I'm not sure if all these activities this next week are a competition, but I know the Initial Drill is.  They're competing for the title of Honor Platoon that will be awarded at graduation.

Supposedly sometime after the SDI Inspection, Jeremiah will likely see the "Hurricane in the Barracks" where the DIs go through and upend bunks, toss items, empty footlockers into a big pile, etc.  Luckily I did what I was advised to do and sent Jeremiah a gallon sized ziplock bag to keep his letters and pictures in.  Now I'm getting advice not to warn him about these, but it's too late.  I already sent a letter that explained the ziplock baggie.  I just pray he doesn't end up with two different sized boots like his cousin, Seth, did when he was in boot camp.

Three weeks down...ten to go.